Even The Greats Get Bested by a Rookie Once in a While

 By John Turney 

Jerry Stalcup is not a household name to even hardcore football fans - even devout Rams fans. 

His career was brief - a sixth-round pick by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1960 draft, he was not protected in the 1961 expansion draft and the new franchise, the Minnesota Vikings selected him so he played just a year in the City of the Angels.

He chose not to sign with the Vikings but rather joined the Broncos of the AFL. There he was the starter at one of the outside linebacker positions, in the blown and yellow vertical striped socks and everything.

Prior to the 1963 season, he was released by Denver, and poof -  his pro football career was over. From there he became a successful high school football coach. 

With the Rams he played both linebacker and guard and at the former, he picked off a pass. At the latter, he did get at least one moment he could put in his memory bank. 

It was one of those plays where a smaller man gets leverage on a bigger man and, well, embarrasses him. And by small, we mean small. Though listed at 6-1, 240 pounds later in his career his height and weight with the Rams was listed at 6-0, 220. 

Though an All-American guard at Wisconsin he was thought not big enough to play that position in the NFL so he was made a linebacker. However, in addition to special teams he ended up playing both offense and defense - one of at least five Rams that played both ways at times that season. 

Late in a mid-October game in Charm City during a 31-17 loss by the Los Angeles Rams to the defending World Champion Colts Stalcup got some reps at left guard. 

Starter Roy Hoard, also a rookie, was out of the game, possibly because the game was out of hand with the Rams trailing 31-10 but nonetheless Stalcup in the game.

On the play left guard Stalcup, #60, pancakes the legendary Big Daddy Lipscomb, #78 at right defensive tackle.  Lipscomb was listed at 6-6, and 285 pounds but few think he weighed that. He was likely over 300 pounds at this stage of his career.

To be fair, Lipscomb did get a bit of a trip with left tackle Lou Michaels (another of the two-way Rams players) and maybe that caused him to lose his balance. 

But either way, at the end of the play Big Daddy is on his back.

The play—

Fair use claim - for education and criticism

Credit: Indianapolis Colts

Obviously we not suggesting this would be a usual thing. When Lipscomb wanted to he could dominate. But on this play Stalcup got the better of him, probably on effort alone. 

Good play, rook.